Personal Statement

[Deluded]

I've just redone my CV as I'm applying for work again and thought it could do with a refresh. I'm happy with all except for the Personal Statement.

I've never really known what to put in it and all that I read online is to put personal achievements etc. At the moment mine is a brief description of how I perceive myself as a person/employee and a little description of the type of experience I have. Then a little about the sort of work I am interested in.

Now I realise that some of that is what should go on the covering letter rather than the CV but as said, I don't really know what to put instead.

What sort of things do you put in yours?

[davepoth]

I don't do one - it's virtually impossible to write one without sounding like one of the aggressively gelled and shiny suited gentlemen on "The Apprentice" who get thrown out in the first two weeks because all they know is management buzz-words.

[RemainAllHoof]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ_fcJ3VTR4

[Deluded]

Thats the exact sort of thing I don't want to write, hence why I write what I write.

I don't have a massive amount to brag about anyway really. Just dead end job after dead end job for the last few years as that's all that is going about so can't really go on about achievements much.

[RemainAllHoof]

This seems useful. Sorry it's not from the Telegraph or Times, though. http://careers.guardian.co.uk/careers-blog/how-to-...

[snotrag]

I don't have a statement as part of my CV as it tends to be stuff covered i'n a covering letter IMO? CV has the facts and quantifiable stuff, letter then also covers the descriptive, personality type stuff?

This is why I find the hardest jobs to apply for are those with rigid tick box application forms, and nowhere to fit any prose. Big firms and public sector really?

[windman2011]

http://www.rgu.ac.uk/preparingtosucceed/careershan...

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/covering_letters.htm

[rog007]

Deluded said:

I don't have a massive amount to brag about anyway really. Just dead end job after dead end job for the last few years as that's all that is going about so can't really go on about achievements much.

You do have things to 'brag' about, you just might not yet realise it; time to talk yourself up, not down?

A well crafted outcomes based CV should be able stand on it's own for any relevant role you're looking to apply for. A covering letter, if one thinks it may be needed (and as both an employer and a recruiter, I don't), is a way of highlighting key aspects of your competencies to tune in a prospective employer. I would say again though, a good CV would do this anyway. However, I do know that some employers can ask for this, then the challenge is not to regurgitate what is already on the CV, nor introduce something new (which of course should be on the CV), but to highlight competencies particularly relevant to the role or the organisation.

Happy to provide feedback on your CV if you wish to mail it across.

Good luck!